46 WITH MR. CHAMBERLAIN IN THE 



he didn't know anything about the Canadian news- 

 papers, and he presumed that they were not any 

 better informed than other sources of information. 



The distinguished gentleman concluded by telling 

 the reporters, in reply to a question, that he had no 

 idea whatever of the chances that the Liberal- 

 Unionists in England and the Gladstone Liberals 

 would ever again be united. " One thing is cer- 

 tain," said he, " Gladstone's scheme of Home 

 Rule for Ireland will never pass the British Parlia- 

 ment. It is dead. Mr. Gladstone himself has said 

 it is dead. If he should come round to my idea 

 of local self-government for Ireland, or if he should 

 frame a scheme of Home Rule for Ireland that I 

 could approve, I should co-operate with him to- 

 morrow. My idea of Home Rule for Ireland is 

 something like the Home Rule that the different 

 provinces of Canada enjoy. It differs at some 

 points with the relations between the United States 

 Government and the individual States of the 

 Union." 



The reporters formed the impression that Mr. 

 Chamberlain was a very affable, obliging, pleasant 

 gentleman, one who knew enough not to say too 

 much, yet much more communicative than the 

 average English official, and much less reserved than 

 the average English gentleman. He submitted to 

 all the questioning of the reporters with the utmost 

 grace and good humour, and answered with perfect 

 candour. When he could not answer he said so. 

 When asked if the English Government had imposed 

 a definite limit to the concessions which he might 



